The moment is right to change Manchester United's system - the manager insists.

Head coach Ruben Amorim contends that altering Man Utd's formation due to external scrutiny would have meant "the end" for him.

Initially against Newcastle, Amorim moved away from his usual three-at-the-back setup with wide defenders and chose to deploy an orthodox back four with two holding midfielders.

By his own admission this effectively became a back six in the closing phase as his squad held on for a victory - securing only their second shutout of the campaign.

Despite he once famously stated that not even the highest authority could pressure him to tweak his system, Amorim asserts the option to play with different formations has remained part of his plan.

Nevertheless, he emphasizes he could solely implement the change when his team were performing sufficiently well - lest it would look as if he was bowing to external pressure.

"When I came here the previous campaign, I understood perhaps I don't have the personnel to excel in that system, but it was the beginning of a process," he said.

"Our aim was to forge an philosophy. Now is a separate juncture. We are missing a lot of players, and we must be flexible, so they see the reason we are making changes.

"This isn't because of the demands of you guys, or the fans.

"Whenever you criticize changing the formation constantly, I can't change because the players will understand I'm changing because of you and I think that is the end for the manager.

"Only when we are performing strongly in our preferred setup, then is the opportunity to adapt.

"We are going to grow into a more complete side because when all the personnel are back, we are not going to employ a back three exclusively."

Availability Challenges Loom Large

Having only two wins in their last eight outings before defeating Newcastle, it is debatable whether Amorim is right to claim his side have been playing well.

He is, nonetheless, working with a injury-ravaged roster, with seven first-team stars already unavailable for the upcoming fixture against winless Wolverhampton Wanderers.

That figure will grow if playmaker Mason Mount is unable to shake off the injury that forced his exit from the Newcastle game at the interval.

Skipper Bruno Fernandes is a key name who will be absent for the Wolves clash, despite the fact he is reportedly pushing his boss to let him to return after his muscle injury.

"Fernandes is already telling me he needs to practice," revealed Amorim. "However there is no chance he is going to feature against Wolves. No chance. You can quote me on that."

The Captain's Influence Endures

Nevertheless, the Portuguese star will probably still be heavily involved, as while most unavailable stars view matches from the stands, Fernandes was seen keeping a close eye on the warm-ups from the entrance of the player's tunnel before the Newcastle game.

Amorim anticipates his captain to continue providing insight.

"The guy is a natural leader," he stated. "He cannot be the type of player that when he is absent, he's silent and speaking. He's always communicating. That is the reason he's the captain.

"He has bad things sometimes - the way he gesticulates - but he has a multitude of strengths. After he recovers, he heads to observe the other guys practicing. There are a many aspects that go unnoticed.

"I'm not sure if he wants my position or not, but he's a born leader. He is a leader."

Recovery Timeline for Key Personnel

While the specific date for Fernandes' comeback - and that of fellow injured players like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - is uncertain, by the end of January, United will see the return of Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from continental duty.